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Franklin County passes 'Leave no trace' ordinance

Karl Etters, Tallahassee Democrat 7:16 a.m. EDT August 7, 2014

People walk along the beach at St. George Island. Under an ordinance passed by the Franklin County Commission Tuesday, beachgoers will no longer be able to leave chairs, canopies, tents or umbrellas on the beach over night. Holes dug in the sand must also be filled in.
(Photo:
Democrat files
)

St. George Island public beachgoers will have to remove tents, umbrellas and chairs from the beach at the end of the day under an ordinance passed by Franklin County commissioners Tuesday.

In a 4-1 vote, commissioners approved the "Leave No Trace" ordinance meant to curb what commissioners and visitors say has become a growing issue of debris, gear and holes dug by beachgoers on one of the nation's top public beaches.

"The trash situation has exponentially gotten worse on the beach from the middle of last year and into this season," said Franklin County Commissioner Pinki Jackel. "It has been like an epidemic. We couldn't keep up with the cleanup."

The ordinance has come up before, but saw some resistance, Jackel said. Commissioners dialed back from a February version that included all county beaches to include only the Gulf beach of St. George Island.

Under the ordinance passed Tuesday, people would also be required to fill in any holes they have dug on the beach, which are seen as a safety hazard and a risk to nesting sea turtles that may become trapped.

"It's not perfect," said Jackel, who lives on the barrier island. "We'll begin and see how we do and if we need to retool it or revamp it, we will."

Enforcement of the ordinance, which is in effect from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m., started Wednesday, but Jackel said there will be an educational curve period when officials will work with rental companies and island visitors on its implementation.

Apalachicola River Keeper Executive Director Shannon Lease said getting the ordinance passed was a personal effort.

She said walking the beach, she was shocked at the condition she found it in. She said aside from trash, she noticed turtle tracks winding through chairs and tents left on the beach, forcing them to nest in places they wouldn't normally.

"We felt it was time to have something in place to create a beach behavior paradigm," Lease said.

Lease said the ordinance is not meant to cut into fun, but is about sharing the beach with other visitors and wildlife.

"The whole movement is not opposed to having umbrellas and canopies on the beach," she said. "You just have to pick it up at the end of the day."

She said that while island residents get to see and react to beach clutter on a daily basis, even visitors were bringing concerns forward.

With tourism activity being a major economic driver for Franklin County, and the delicate ecosystem that surrounds the coastline, the ordinance will help to ensure beaches remain pristine.

"I think it's so precious and something that we need to hold on to," Lease said.

Signs explaining the ordinance and warning beachgoers that belongings left overnight will be disposed of by county officials would be posted in all rental units. The signs also would be posted at public beach access points, but Jackel said it may not be until next year's tourist season that it is fully enforced.

"We want to warn folks and give them an opportunity to keep their beach items," Jackel said. "The island residents and the visitors alike are excited about this. It's a win win for everybody."